VARGA – RETURN OF THE METAL

Review by: Officer Nice

Canadian Metal never could hook up with the American nor European scene. Yet some of the best and most influencing bands came out of this large country and became worldwide popular. The bands that came out of the most Northern part of the American continent left an inheritance behind that will always be important in the history of Heavy Metal . Rush, Anvil, Annihilator, Devin Townsend to name a few. Also the underground over there delivered some awesome stuff, think Razor, Sword, Hanker and Sacrifice. My favorite Canadian band has always been Eidolon, delivering at least two masterpieces and the Drover brothers were so good they were invited to join Megadeth and King Diamond later on. That means a lot because both are world dominating bands. The result was that Eidolon disbanded ad that’s a pity.

Brings me to a band called Varga, also heading from out of Canada, a land I really need to visit one day in my life. This isn’t at all a new band and when you look into their history you will discover the band started in 1989. Ever since they released three albums and they are important enough to have their own page at the BNR-Metal pages. Unfortunately this is one of my first meetings with this formation but after hearing this newbie of the band I feel the need to purchase the rest as well. This is a band I overlooked, I admit. Meanwhile I have searched for the band and YouTube learned me the band sounded different in the old days, more in vein of Pearl Jam etc.

Starting with a great intro the band unleashes hell with one after another very dark pure Metal song. I adore this kind of technical played Metal. That this is American Metal, allow me to add Canada to it for once, needs no explanation. Only American oriented bands can play this way. I mean razor sharp riffs with lots of hooks, fast fingered leads and an overwhelming base underneath the tracks, by impressive drums and ditto spectacular bass guitars. This band knows what good song writing is all about and is able to vary in the songs, especially on those arrangements were the solos fits. Going slower and more sentinel to gear the speed and returning to mid-tempo breaks. You’ll witness mind blowing riffs and leads and that makes me play imaginary guitars.

Singer Joe Varga is the ideal singer for this kind of Metal because he contains a strong pair of lungs. He has a clear yet aggressive vocal sound and knows perfectly when he needs to sound more forceful, by screaming out. This kind of vocals is the most adorable on technical played Metal. Varga plays Metal in the vein of Megadeth, Toxik, Antithesis and for example Anacrusis and Coroner but thanks to Joe Varga this band contains their own touch. Nasty Savage crosses my mind because of the drums. Progressive, mid tempo Thrash, pure and dark are the key words here! It might not be the Metal the entire world is waiting for but it is true and that’s what counts! You will easily discover some experienced musicians are at work here, the way any single note is discovered and performed will tell you all.

This album contains six songs which is full with exciting compositions. This record is good produced and this kind of music demands this way of production. It obliges me to gear up the volume and the louder you’ll play “Return Of The Metal” the more joy you will have. I don’t know if the Metal scene contains much more undiscovered gems and bands that are hooking up since ages with so much beauties on their sleeve… I really hope I didn’t miss too much because it would be a disgrace if bands like Varga stays unnoticed. This band maintained the attention of the mainstream Metal scene long ago and opened for White Zombie and Metallica, something 99% of the Metal scenes can’t show on their curriculum vitae.